The prefecture-level metropolis of Baotou – situated in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region – has been included in a national batch of pilot cities in a water recycling program.

The announcement was jointly made by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the Ministry of Water Resources.

They recently co-issued the Notice on Publishing the List of Pilot Cities for Regional Renewable Water Recycling in 2022 and Baotou was selected as one of the 19 pilot cities.

The pilot program for recycling and the utilization of regional reclaimed water aims to build engineering facilities for the water quality purification of constructed wetlands, according to local conditions at key nodes.

These nodes include the downstreams of sewage outlets, the inlets of rivers and lakes and the main streams of tributaries.

The program aims to further purify and improve drainage after reaching required treatment standards and to realize the utilization of sewage resources.

As a city with severe water shortages, Baotou has a practical need to replenish its depleted water resources and to improve the water environment.

To this end, Baotou will oversee nine key projects. These will be to improve the quality and efficiency of a sewage treatment plant, construct a renewable water pipe network, improve water treatment and for ecological restoration.

In this way, the city is expected to broaden the use of its renewable water resources, promote the development of renewable aquaculture and establish a replicable and appealing pilot construction experience.